Ferret Vaccination Protocol
The two main preventable infectious diseases in ferrets are rabies virus and distemper virus. If a ferret contracts one of thes diseases it will die, and rabies can be transmitted from animals to people. At Best Friends Animal Hospital, we offer both vaccinations for ferrets. Ferrets are more likely than dogs and cats to have adverse reactions to vaccines.
1. Distemper- We use the Merial Purevax Ferret Distemper vaccine, which is the least likely to induce a vaccine reaction. For young or unvaccinated ferrets, they need a series of two to three vaccines to start, with annual boosters thereafter.
2. Rabies - We use the Merial Imrab 3 vaccine for ferrets. It is currently the only licensed rabies vaccine for use in ferrets. Each year we have several rabies positive animals found in Yellowstone County, and this CORE vaccine is recommended for ALL ferrets. The vaccine is good for one year. Keep in mind that ferrets are also susceptible to infection by canine heartworm and should be on prevention for this deadly disease.
